Wilderness Stalker
A wilderness stalker uses stealth to slip unseen and unheard through the woods and sneak in close to his prey. Born of instinct among the tauren and the trolls in ancient times, the way of the wilderness stalker has become a set of skills passed from one generation to another - and to the occasional ally, such as the orcs of the Horde. The mok'nathal have also developed the techniques of becoming wilderness stalkers - claiming the wilds of Azeroth, becoming true people of the land. A wilderness stalker emphasizes thrown weapons as well as bonding with the world around him. Their Alliance counterparts, elven rangers, may be guardians and hunters as well, but wilderness stalkers are true creatures of the wild. They gain mastery over the terrain in which they battle, learning how to use the environment to their best advantage. No one can match a wilderness stalker for his ability to survive in harsh environments. Wilderness stalkers claim that that the lands speak to them, aiding them in their hunting and protecting them. Though a wilderness stalker excels at closing on unaware prey, he knows that their prey will occasionally sense him before he can get within reach and thus, many wilderness stalkers are also skilled at throwing weapons at a bolting target. A wilderness stalker may move through any sort of nonmagical undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas and other similar terrain) at his normal speed without taking damage or suffering any other way. A wilderness stalker gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells. Wilderness stalkers call upon the spirits of the land and nature to help them. Their spells deal with hunting and surviving in the natural world. In time the wilderness stalker learns the languages of the animals and trees around him, and may speak with any animals or plants. The wilderness stalker learns to become one with the world around him and blend into it. The wilderness stalker learns how to call upon the spirits of trees for help in battle. The highly skilled wilderness stalker can move entire forests to fight for him. Wilderness stalkers in the world Wilderness stalkers are found almost exclusively among the Horde, as only half-ogres, tauren and trolls teach the abilities. Wilderness stalkers are most often barbarians, hunters or scouts, though many druids and shaman take up the path as well. There are no known arcanist wilderness stalkers on Azeroth. Among forest trolls, many axethrowers learn the wilderness stalker's arts, and many headhunters among jungle trolls become wilderness stalkers. Wilderness stalkers provide a vital role in the Horde as both scouts and stalkers in the wilds. Even the Alliance's elven rangers and night elf sentinels cannot outwit a wilderness stalker in his preferred environment, nor match the savagery of his attacks. Often a stalker precedes an army, scouting ahead and slaying sentries before guiding his fellows through the woods and into the heart of an enemy's encampment. Wilderness stalkers share a fierce competition with elven rangers. Both groups claim to train the greatest woodsmen and women on Azeroth, and attempt to prove the strength of their paths with almost bloodthirsty fervor. Perhaps the most vicious rivalry exists between high elf rangers and forest troll wilderness stalkers, who add racial animosity to the deal. The rivalry is so fierce between these individuals that both often abandon their duties and compatriots at a hint of a rival's presence. The resulting battles are perhaps worse than most engagements their respective forces see that day. Wilderness stalkers gain prestige among their fellows. The path of the wilderness stalker is almost always a solitary one, as the wilderness stalker must learn to commune with the wilds about him. Months of training in natural environments face him, testing his skills and resolve. Among some tauren and troll tribes, the wilderness stalker receives a final test, where he is offered either a knife or a waterskin, and is teleported into an unknown, unfamiliar and unkind environment. If the trainee can survive for one month against the odds, he may call himself a wilderness stalker and join his tribe once again. Not surprisingly, few pass this grueling ordeal. Despite their loner mentality, occasionally a wilderness stalker seeks out the companionship of others, if just for a change of pace. Wilderness stalkers prefer to associate with like-minded types, such as beastmasters and hunters. While the path of a wilderness stalker is a warrior's path, most other warriors are too loud and destructive for the average wilderness stalker's tastes (though some troll stalkers can make even the most savage orc grunt look tame). They also look favorably on druids and shaman, even those of the Alliance, simply for the respect and camaraderie of the world's spirit speakers. Even evil stalkers respect the spirits, or perhaps fear them, and rarely anger a druid or shaman. Some are affiliated with the Horde, and only a few are independant, a very large amount train under the Khazari Empire. Khazari Wilderness Stalkers Wilderness stalkers trained under the Khazari Empire are among the fiercest and most seasoned stalkers in Azeroth. True to tradition, an aspiring stalker is given only a knife and sent away to fend for his or her own in a unforgiving region known as Zanzibar, one of the major islands of the Khazari Isle, it is the second largest island. It is a swampland filled with many dangers, ranging from giant lizard-like creatures, to savage trolls simply driven mad by isolation. Khazari stalkers are truly one with the land, able to hear and see things from long distances regardless of overgrown foliage. Even able to make a shelter out of anything that they could find. The stalker is silent and unseen and lets the sounds of nature be his cover through the vast wilderness. These stalkers are sent out to survive for months and if they come back. they are inducted into the ranks. For safety purposes, Khazari stalkers are given specific protocol and rules of engagement whenever he or she might be in a situation. 'Rules of Engagement' #Indentify the target, if it appears to be another wilderness stalker, do not engage and leave the area undetected. Try to avoid confrontations. #If it is not a trainee, simply do not engage and blend in. #If you are attacked, full permission to kill is permitted. 'Protocol' *'NEVER' attack another trainee, if you're confronted, ask if they are military and state your alias if they answer correctly. Part ways when the ordeal is done. This is highly stressed. *Do NOT associate with another trainee, the spirits of the swamp are watching YOU. You must learn on your own. *All useful parts of a slain animal must be used, skin, teeth/claws, meat, ect. *Do not consult with any Zanzibarian inhabitants, chances are they are hostile. *If you spot a Zanzibarian Dragon, steer clear from it, it is not advised to engage it. Your goal is to SURVIVE. *Remain stealthy at ALL times, befriend nature and it will return the favor. Category:Class Category:Zanzibar